Breaking Away
by Tempest2004
Summary: It's a possible ending to Teenage Mage, not that I'm ending it. It's set to 'Breakaway' by Kelly Clarkson. Please R&R!


I wrote this when I was feeling angry and bit depressed. I guess I'm going through the teenage anger phase, because I'm angry about everything and I don't know why. Well, that just makes a better writer, right? Well, anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, Gotham or Penguin. Breakaway belongs to Kelly Clarkson who I'm a big fan of and I own Melanara.

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Blue eyes tracked familiar movements in the darkness, the agile movement and the light almost inaudible breathing of a trained hunter. He could see her outline now, red hair in a ponytail, body smooth and centered as she walked confidently through the alley ways of Gotham City. He could have appeared and admonished her for being by herself, but she was more than able to defend herself. He could almost swear she was swinging her hips. Familiar click of heels on concrete filled his ears and the also familiar scent of horses and hay flows to him and confirms his suspicions. Melanara Raya is in Gotham on her own and she's looking for a fight. And by the movements of the shadows, she's found it. Two burly and obviously not very bright men step out and tap clubs against their palms.

_Grew up in a small town_

_And when the rain would fall down_

_I just stared out my window_

_Dreaming of what could be_

_And if I'd end up happy_

_I would pray (I would pray)_

_Trying not to reach out_

_But when I'd try to speak out_

_Felt like no one could hear me_

_Wanted to belong here_

_But something felt so wrong here_

_So I pray (I would pray)_

_I could breakaway_

"Okay, pretty, hand over the money and we'll let you go or," he added, leering at her. "Maybe not." he grinned. His hands clench, itching to pound these two morons into the pavement, but he restrains himself, this is her fight, her choice, not his.

"Hmm, you have no idea what you're in for. If you want the money, come get it." she said. The men grin at each other and charge. One swinging low and one swinging high. If she managed to avoid one, the other would get her. Melanara went for the third option. She dove between the swings, caught herself on one hand and lashed out with her feet and caught them in the backs, then rolled to her feet about a foot away.

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly_

_I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky_

_And I'll make a wish_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Out of the darkness and into the sun_

_But I won't forget all the ones that I loved_

_I'll take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

They rose snarling and growling menacingly, but she only shrugged it off. Again they charged, but they didn't make the same mistake twice. They both went for her head. Melanara snorted and dropped into a crouch as they went by. She rocked back on her hands and stood up, knocking the thugs down. They laid underneath her feet, faces in the pavement, groaning.

"Maybe next time you won't pick on teenage girls." Melanara said and walked away, but not before digging her heels into their skulls.

_Wanna feel the warm breeze_

_Sleep under a palm tree_

_Feel the rush of the ocean_

_Get onboard a fast train_

_Travel on a jet plane, far away (I will)_

_And breakaway_

This continued for most of the night, Melanara fighting varying degree's of scum until she came to some of higher scuzzbuckets. He recognized them as some of Penguin's higher minions. Smarter than the others but just as blood thirsty. Like she was tonight.

"Our boss wants to talk to you, little girl." he said, holding his hands wide. Melanara smirked and shook her head.

"Tell Pengy to take a flying leap, oh that's right, penguins can't fly." Melanara laughed as they charged.

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly_

_I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky_

_And I'll make a wish_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Out of the darkness and into the sun_

_But I won't forget all the ones that I loved_

_I'll take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

The lead thug, the one who had spoken, had a black belt in karate, but that really didn't matter to Melanara. He was just another bad guy to bring down, though he might be a real challenge. They met blow for blow, strike for strike until he threw Melanara against a wall. She landed with a groan and slithered down. He chuckled triumphantly and walked over to retrieve his prize when Melanara dug a heel into his crotch. He winced in sympathy as the man moaned and curled into a ball. Melanara stood up and dusted herself off.

_Buildings with a hundred floors_

_Swinging around revolving doors_

_Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but_

_Gotta keep moving on, moving on_

_Fly away, breakaway_

Melanara pushed open the doors to Penguin's office, entering like she belonged there. Penguin waved to his men who pulled guns on the young mage.

"If she were here to arrest me, do you really think they'd have left her come get me by herself?" Penguin asked, the men frowned, obviously unhappy, but nodded and lowered their weapons. "What can I do for you?" he asked civilly. Melanara smirked and nodded at the men.

"First is you can get rid of the mod squad, I'd like to talk to you in private." she said, Penguin, curiosity piqued, motioned them out. Melanara nodded in satisfaction, back to the window he was watching through.

"What do you want, I'm not threat to the Justice League." he said, Melanara nodded again.

"Thats why I'm here. I want to make sure you stay that way." she said, voice low and threatening.

"What's in it for me if I do?" Penguin asked boldly. You had to give him credit, he did have a brass set.

"You keep your life and enterprise." Melanara said. Penguin went pale and nodded quickly.

"Deal." he said quickly, Melanara straightened absently and looked down at the little red head.

"And don't send anyone to follow me, I have enough _shadows_ as it is." she said, putting emphasis on shadows. Penguin got the hint and nodded. Melanara walked out and into the alley way. "All right, Bats. Come out where I can see you. You've followed me long enough." Melanara said short and tersely. Batman swung down rather guiltily.

"I ask to be left alone and when I come to Gotham, I get a shadow in a Bat Costume!" Melanara raged angrily. Batman stayed calm and even under the pressure of her rage.

"It's my buisness to know who's in my town." Batman said cooly. Melanara snarled inaudibly and leapt into the air and took off, leaving him alone in the alley.

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly_

_Though it's not easy to tell you good-bye_

_And I'll make a wish_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Out of the darkness and into the sun_

_But I won't forget the place I come from_

_I'll take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway, _

_breakaway, _

_breakaway_

Melanara landed in the open bay window of her apartment and walked over to her closet. She reached inside and pulled out a Black&Decker hammer and pulled her comlink out.

"Kiss this." she snarled, laid the comlink down and smashed it with her hammer, putting all her anger, frustration and guilt into the swing. Why was she feeling guilty? Because she was breaking away.

_Finito_

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Please R&R!


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